The following article, excerpted below, appeared in the New York
Post (5/10/06):

"City Schools Chancellor Joel Klein gave an impassioned defense of
the federal No Child Left Behind law yesterday, saying schools need more
testing and accountability…to bolster performance and close the
achievement gap."

"'It is incredibly valuable because it recognizes that the
achievement gap - the gap that separates our African-American and Latino
students from their white and Asian peers - is the chief problem in American
schooling,' Klein said…"

"'When they passed NCLB, our national leaders finally took
responsibility for the fact that white and Asian students are performing
four years ahead of African-American and Latino students in high school…
And this law finally put muscle behind the attempt to close that gap…'"

"He added that schools should be testing students "routinely," as
long as the exams are based on solid standards… 'Our teachers should teach
students the skills and ideas they must master in order to pass their tests.
…'"

"'I've never met a law that couldn't improve. But to criticize the
heart of No Child Left Behind is to refuse to take responsibility for the
achievement gap…'"